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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

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Detroit Jewish Chronicle

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Entered as Shond-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office, at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879.

Thursday, June 1,,,1950

Let's Get Acquainted, Author
and U. S i . Jews
Urges Is

By MEYER LEVIN
Jewish com-
Jewish writers today. To the
The author' of this article is one of the leading
Jewish life ("Old Bunch," "Phudalt")
on
novels
Qn
munity Levin is particularly known for his

autobiography, was reviewed
latest book, "In Search," an
and his reports on Israel. Levin's
this page on May 18.—Ed.
Sivan 16, 5710
VER SINCE THE WAR I've been circulating sea, and founded by a group of young Europeans
Thursday, June 1, 1950
from Europe to America to Israel on Jewish with an exceptional interest in the theater, so that
errands, and last year it suddenly struck me that they have ever since carried on a very active pro-
Germans Evade 'Moral Duty'
gram in community staging. Miriam Laserson,
these communities instead of getting closer to-
gether might easily grow further apart. For oddly who was one of the actresses in "My Father's
Some time ago, a German lawyer defending a German in a
enough, we Jews know very little about each House," had spent a good deal of time in Maayan,
restitution suit argued before a German court that the Jewish
and she told me how, when their large cement
other.
plaintiff should sue the Nazi government, not the present gov-
d it
In America, we get a lot of envoys from Israel, cowshed was first built, they had dedicate
ernment which could not be regarded as the legal successor of
be fore
with
a
performance
of
"Twelfth
Night,"
and there are many Americans who go to Israel
the former government.
the cattle were let into the place.
and return to tell us in glowing terms Obit things
We were remilided of this argumentation when we read the
• • •
are like over there. But aside from the fund-
speech of John J. McCloy, U. S. high commissioner for western
raising
speeches
we
have
little
intimate
contact
I
RECOMMENDED
Maayan to the young radio
Germany, in which he urged the Germans to fulfill their "moral
announcer; but in talking with hitn, a peculiar
with
the
kind
of
culture
that
is
growing
in
Israel,
obligation" and restore to the Jews "what is justly theirs."
thought struck me. Here was a young man who
and what is worse, they know less about us.
The question of restitution has been discussed for years now.
had never heard of Hechalutz and who had ob-
For
instance
—
while
the
most
typical
and
Almost immediately after the war, the allied powers took initial
viously no cultural ties to his own people, here.
most active factors in the average American Jew-
steps in this direction. Laws were enacted by the Allies as well
Israel was awakening in him that need for con-
ish
community
may
be
the
temple
and
the
com-
as by the present German government, and on paper it looks
munity center, these institutions are unknown to tact with his own people. Wot he return to
as if the question were on its way toward a settlement.
Israel. Worship, for those who are observant, is join an American Jewish commialay center, or
The facts belie this assumption. Although the lawyer's argu-
orthodox. The complex idea of the modern temple temple group?
ment about the legality of the government's 'successorship is
Psychologically, in our time, both Israelis and
with its courses in handicraft and its lectures on
not held valid in the courts, there can be no question that the
American Jews are bound most strongly through
world politics is an utterly foreign one to the peo-
Germans are doing their utmost to prevent any reasonable
ple of Israel. The Jewish community center with the tragedy of the Jews of Europe. These were our
settlement.
its basketball teams and dramatic clubs may be families iff Common; every Israeli had a cousin
It must not be forgotten that the Nazi regime took from the
vaguely paralleled in the cultural center of a in Detroit, an uncle in Brooklyn, and the families
Jews living under its domination assets that go into the billions
are traced back to the grandparents or the other
kibbutz, but it has no parallel institution in the
of dollars. Cash, real estate, art treasures, factories, bonds, jew-
uncles and cousins who died in Lublin and in
towns
elry — everything they could lay hands on they took..
Is it important that Israel know about these Warsaw.
Civilized idcas of right and wrong would suggest that the
Out of Europe, we have the culture of our
institutions? Yes — just as important as it is for us
survivors or the heirs of the murdered have a valid claim to be-
to know about the growing structures of kibbut- immediate past—Purimspiel and latkeA and Silo-
ing indemnified for their tremendous losses. Not so the Ger-
lem Aleichem and Yiddish melodies, and the great
zim. Unless a strangeness is to develop, each com-
mans. They cannot see why they should disgorge their loot. So
munity must haye an early acquaintance with the
culture of all . Jewish history. This is a meeting-
they just mark time, hoping that the western world will, among'
point, where we have common] understanding.
cultural forms of its sister community.
other things, also forget this "insignificant" matter. Maybe the
• • •
• • .7
Germans are not miscalculating.
WE COMMONLY THINK of culture in terms
BUT WHAT SEEMED most important to me
of the arts — we are proud of the Philharmonic
was to relate all this to the early, conditioning
experiences of the American Jew, brought up in a
Orchestra in Israel, and of the fact that an Amer-
Politics in Israel
ican boy named Lenni Bernstein goes there to
mistaken conflict between his Jewish ties and his
American environment. It is this experience that
conduct the orchestra; we are proud of the Ha-
In a surprise move, David Ben Gurion appealed to Russia
is least understood by the Jew of Israel today.
bima and the fact that an American director,
to allow Russian Jews to emigrate to Israel. He stated that
Harold Clurman, was invited to stage one of their
We will never find common bonds as long as
Russia was alm alone in the world in not allowing Jews to
new productions. These are excellent signs. But
we proceed with hero worship on one side and a
leave the coun
when
culture
arrives
at
the
stage
of
art,
it
is
al-
kind of amused contempt from the other side. As
The reason for Ben Gurion's appeal Is not difficult to guess.
-
ready formalized, epitomized.
long as we assign all that is good and progressive
Mapam, the left-wing opposition part, has been advocating co-
The earlier stage of a culture is in the life of
to the character of the Israel Jew. and permit the
operation with the Soviet Union ever .since the Jewish state
a people, for broadly speaking culture is simply American Jew to be presented to him as a crude,
came into being. It accuses Ben Gurion of making Israel a vassal
a way of life. The corner delicatessen is part of cigar-smoking fello'W stuffed with riches.
state for the sake of American dollars.
our culture just as the children's house is part of
The current plans for sending groups of stu-
When Ben Gurion made his appeal to Russia, he knew very
the culture of a kibbutz. The kind of drawings our
dents for study periods in Israel are mast im-
well that it was a futile gesture. On the other hand, if Russia
children make in a progressive school can indi- portant not only for what American Jewish stu-
refuses he can tell Mapam: "We tried and failed."
cate our way of life just as we should find fascin-
dents will bring back from Israel. gut for -the
There must be approximately 3,000,000 Jews in Russia, and
ating revelations in the drawings of the children
necessity of giving the Israeli contact with typical
it looks as if we have to write them off. Once one of the most
of Ain Harod.
Jews from this land.
spirited, lively and thoroughly Jewish Jewries in the world, the
A few days ago a young man who had picked
There should be 10,000 young t .:. , 1) . .e like the
up an advance copy of my latest book "In Search"
Russian Jews now seem to have been steered away from Jewish
radio announcer who wanted to li v. , for a while
at a radio station where he works, came to see me.
consciousness. Thousands of them have been induced to live in
in a kibbutz and take part in their community
He was a sensitive young American Jew, with no
the "Jewish republic" of Birobidzhan. Those who continue to
dramatics. For every envoy from Israel to tell
contacts in the organized community life. Yet he us what Isrlelis arc like, there should be an
live in Moscow or other large cities seems to be witnessing a
felt
a
very
strong
prompting
for
such
contact.
To
resurgence of Russian anti-Semitism.
American — not just one of our wealthier middle
him it took the form of wanting to go to Israel.
It seems a safe assumption that a great many Russian Jews
class who can afford the trip, but a median rep-
Could I tell him whether there was a kibbutz resentative of the community — to give Israelis
would prefer to live in Israel, but the Soviet Union does not
where, while doing his share of daily work, he
want them to become "exposed" to the dangers of capitalism
the feeling of what Americans are like.
might also find a good deal of evening theatrical
For these are our two great remaining com-
and democracy.
activity? He wanted to be among people of that munities; our past is a common one. and only
For Israel it would be a great day to welcome the Russian
sort.
through knowing each other well can we he sore
Jews who have always been in the forefroeft of Zionist work,
I did know of Nth a place — Maayan, a bea -
and from whose ranks the first pioneers came to Palestine, let
Aqui settlement perched on a hill overlooking the of a common future.
alone leaders like Weizmann, Ussishkin, Bialik and many others,-,
But Ben Gurion knows, just as well as we do, that it is a pipe-s –
good Jew but Christianity needs
dream and will remain so unless a miracle intervenes.
Christians quite as much as Juda-
ism needs good Jews. I am not
robbing the Christian world even
of one good Christian. Anyway,
. Confusion in the Arab Ranks
there's my job of trying to make
When Syria's minister of justice, Faydi Atassi, recently
Jews Jewishly good. Please feel
Were
I
a
rabbi
I
would
apply
By ALFRED SEGAL
resigned, he wrote a letter which throws a merciless light on
myself strictly to the business of at liberty to call on me again
the state of mind in which Syrian politicians (and probably
THERE IS TALK in Reform my own house, knowing, as I do,
any time, sir."
I Jewish rabbinical circles of
those of other Arab countries) find themselves.
there's so much to be done among
Yet the missionary zeal of rab-
starting a missionary movement
It will be remembered that Syria underynt several coups
Jews to teach them to be Jewish bis shouldn't be allowed to go
to
bring
Gentiles
into
the
Jewish
d'etat last year, the last one :n December, 190, from which a
in the spiritual and ethical mean- empty-handed to frustration. If
fold. It was
"new democratic government" emerged. Atassi's letter seems. to
they want to be missionaries, why
ing.
brought up at a
indicate, in the words of the N.Y. Times correspondent, Albion
Yet, if, in the meantime, a Gen- not missionaries to the Jews?
recent institute
Ross, "that the regime is disintegrating into something on the
tile were to come to me with a There are so many Jews who
of Reform The-
order of a farce."
desire to become Jewish, I need to be converted to the teach-
ology in the He-
It was revealed that other ministers also had turned in
shouldn't run him away forth- ing and the way of life of their
brew Union Col-
their resignations, that the premier has been traveling con-
with from my door. I would wel- religious inheritance.
lege
in
our
town.
stantly caitside Syria and that at least half the ministers "have
come him. That would be simple . Yes, a big, national missionary
Rabbi Is rael
virtually never seen their ministries."
courtesy.
revival for Jews! Great Jewish
Mattuck of the
"You are quite welcome and preachers traveling from town to
The cabinet members keep postponing their resignations
Reform persua-
have a seat, please. Let's talk the town with the message of Israel
until the premier returns. But the premier, Khaled el-Azem, in-
sion in England
whole thing over. Si; you want for the Jews! Jewish preachers
tends to go on traveling because he knows that the moment
said: "In a world segat
he returns he and the cabinet will be out of office. So in order
do get around but for the most
freer than the present one from to be a Jew?"
Yes, he says, that's what he part they ask for money for this
to stay in office, the premier has to stay out of his office.
reli,ious prejudices, Judaism may
institution and that. Organized
In his letter, Atassi stated:
well snake many converts and I would like to be.
"But, my dear sir," I would Judaism seems to have become
"Nothing that comes from the premier or from the members
should readily accept-.any prose-
reply,
"have
you
tried
being
the
of the cabinet reflects the program studied and adopted by the
a collection agency.
lytes who come to it with a sin-
cabinet. Questions concerning the policy of the nation have
cere desire to give it their devo- best kind of Christian? Christian-
Why not a Jewish revival in
ity is all right, too, provided those which preachers will give Jews
been announced and discussed in the press before the slightest
tion."
who
profess
it
really
go
its
way.
allusion has been made to them in the cabinet. Ministers get
Rabbi Albert S. Goldstein of
a portion of their spirit and ask
unequal information on subjects for which they have joint
Tremont Temple, New York, The trouble is there aren't genu- only for their hearts? I have a
responsibility."
said: "More than al: we must ine Christians enough in the candidate to lead such a revival.
All this information is important as it shows that the
propagate Judaism through active world. Wouldn't it be a much He is Rabbi Solomon Goldman
periodical revolts in Arab countries have no foundation in the
proselytism. Judaism is no mere better world if there were more of Chicago who kept us all under
Gentiles who practiced Christi-
people but are merely internal disputes among the politicians.
tribal ctlt. It is a universal faith."
a spell in our town recently.
These revolts do not change the antiquated social makeup of the
For myself, were I a rabbi, I anity."
"So you won't have me, Rabbi
Arab countries. On the contrary, this is exactly what the
wouldn't care to make a pursuit
A welcome gift for any occasion
"revolutionaries" try to avoid.
after converts. There are too 'Segal?"
is a subscription to the Jewish
"Please
don't
put
it
that
way,
It all goes to prove that it is not the Arab people but a
many competitive religions as it
questions of peace
Doubtless, sir, you would snake a Chronicle. Call WO. 1-1041.
few power-hungry men who determine the
is.

SEYMOUR TILCHIN
Publisher

GERI1ARDT NEUMANN
Editor

E

If WeAlave to Proselytize—
Why Not Begin in Our Midst?

at war.